Ormond Beach Votes Today On Night Driving Ban

ORMOND BEACH — A law that would ban driving on the beach at night in Ormond Beach is expected to pass tonight without difficulty, Mayor Nicholas Fortunato said Monday.

City commissioners will cast a second and final vote on an ordinance that bans traffic on the beach an hour after sunset until 3 a.m., but establishes two zones where cars can park after dark. Parking areas would be set up on the north and south sides of the Granada Boulevard beach approach and on both sides of the Cardinal Drive beach ramp.

The city will continue to allow daytime beach driving, but officials are taking steps to ensure the beach is safe for pedestrians. Traffic-free zones will be set up at the north and south city boundaries for beachgoers who want to stroll or swim in an area free from moving cars.

Traffic signs will be posted and traffic lanes are being set up as additional attempts to reduce the chances of accidents.

Commissioners approved the night driving ban in the first of two required votes on Nov. 19. If approved tonight at the 7:30 p.m. meeting, the law would take effect in 10 days, said City Manager John Leemkuil.

At the preliminary vote last month, two of the five commissioners voted against a night driving ban. Ted Porter said constituents in his district are are opposed to beach driving and Joe Thompson said the ordinance had too many regulations.

Fortunato said the law is the commission's attempt to respond to the wishes of city voters. In a straw ballot last month, Ormond Beach voters favored a night driving ban 4,926 to 4,141. Eighty-two percent of the 9,009 voters supported continuing daytime beach driving.

If the ordinance is approved on a second and final vote, Ormond Beach will become the fifth government is Volusia County to ban nighttime driving on the beach. Similar regulations are in effect in Daytona Beach, Daytona Beach Shores, New Smyrna Beach and unincorporated areas in Volusia County.

Ponce Inlet would be the only government in east Volusia still allowing cars to drive on the beach at night.

The action is a response to a Florida Supreme Court ruling in June that local governments can be liable for traffic accidents on beaches within their boundaries. Before that ruling, the liability of local governments was increased by a bill passed in May by the Legislature that outlawed driving on beaches unless approved by three-fifths of the local governing body.